GZM - 4

Howard Dean says that the Islamic cultural center should be built somewhere else. He is not jumping on the bandwagon with the Gingrich-Palin alarmist crowd. He simple says that the Muslim planners' intent is good, but it is also an opportunity to show some flexibility in respect for the feelings of those who lost loved ones in 9/11. He says their cause of promoting understanding would be better served by doing that. In this, he seems to be taking the same position as Obama, who strongly affirmed their right to build there but left open the question of whether it was wise.

If this had not been blown out of proportion, I would agree with them. In fact, that was my first position on it, as I stated in my first blog on the subject. However, once the howlers have started their pumped up scare tactics, for them to move the project now would seem to be letting the Gingriches win. And that would be very bad.

This began as a question of sensitivity and possible accommodation to that sensitivity.

By now it has become a fight -- not about the first amendment, nor about whether they are terrorists or not. Nor is it even still a fight about whether the area is hallowed ground. Once it has been pointed out that there already is a Muslim prayer house within 80 feet of ground zero, and once the off-track betting parlor has been pointed out, and once the strippers have shown that where they take it all off is less than 2 blocks away -- well it seems that argument has lost its validity.

It is now a fight about whether we're going to let the "political pyromaniacs" determine the level of discourse in this country. So far, they've been winning; and the level of national discourse has sunk lower and lower.

It is time -- past time -- to elevate the debate to the real issues and to reason. This is the moment to stand up for that.

Ralph